


The Things We Lost in the Fire

by Paris_The_Lazy_Writer (orphan_account)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Abuse, Feedback appreciated, Multi, Sexism, been reading too much zukoxreader, emotional distress and healing, literally everything avatar covers, so here we go, this came to mind as my version of a self insert, unlearning a lot of bad things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:41:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26555278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Paris_The_Lazy_Writer
Summary: Fang Lian was raised to be a proper Fire Nation noblewoman. Honored with the friendship of the princess and crown prince, she was destined to be a great leader in the nation's future.Banished and disowned, her future has nothing to hold but wandering the world with an angry prince and an indifferent general until a boy from the history books appears before her and changes everything.Now, destiny doesn't seem to far off anymore.(A rewrite of the series. I have aged up the characters because it hurts me that these babies - do you know how young 12 is???? - are fighting a whole a** war.)
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar)/Original Character(s)





	1. Proglogue: The Seeds of Doubt

**Author's Note:**

> As mentioned in the summary, the characters are aged up. Aang is about 16, Katara is 17, Sokka is 19, Zuko is 19, and Azula is 17. Other characters are aged up comparatively. Oh, and Lian is 18. (they're all still babies.)

“Do I have to go?”  


Lian winced as her governess tugged too tightly on her hair. The braid was supposed to keep it from dragging on the floor. At ten years old, her hair was a burden, but her father insisted she never cut it.  


“Yes. Your budding friendship with the princess is an honor to you and your family. Such kinship with the royal family will bring you great success in life, Lian.”  


“We’re not friends. She picked me. She’s scary.”  


Lian grimaced at Miss Moriko’s stern glare in the mirror.  


“You will say no such things about the princess. You mean intimidating. That is expected, she is a prodigy and brings great honor to her lineage.”  


Lian tuned out the governess’s words as the braid continued to pull at her brain.  


Once it was tied off and looped up to keep from catching on things, Lian was led to the tearoom for a formal presentation to her parents.  


“Look at you darling, you look lovely.”  


Lian smiled as her mother gently rested a palm on the top of her head.  


“The outfit is suffice, for a non-formal event, thank you Moriko,” Lian’s father hardly ever smiled, but there was a faint curve to his lips which suggested approval.  


“The carriage is waiting, let us go.”  


When her father disappeared into the war room, a servant led Lian to the garden where the Fire Lady watched her children.  


“My lady, miss Fang Lian for a play date.”  


Lian bowed politely and tried to smile as the princess gave her a wicked smile.  


“Mai and Ty Lee are here too, let’s play hide and explode.”  


“Okay, um… I’m not a firebender though.”  


“Neither are they.”  


Well that was unfair.  


When Lian turned 12, Azula was still unfair, except now, she was teasing Zuko and Mai about their little crushes on each other.  
“It’s simple, you try to shoot the apple off the person’s head.”  


Ty Lee looked nervous, but Lian smiled, “I’m in training to be a Yuyan archer. Don’t worry.”  


Mai on the other hand squeezed her eyes shut tight as Zuko tried to assure her it would be fine.  


Lian hit the apple perfectly with her bow and arrow, but Zuko only managed to catch the apple on fire. When he ran up to help Mai, Azula tripped him and they crashed into the fountain.  


“Aw, they look cute,” Ty Lee teased.  


Lian rolled her eyes and sat beneath a tree. If this was the ‘honorable’ behavior of the royal family, then spirits help the rest of the nation.  


Zuko stormed off, straight past his mother who looked confused, but Lian shrugged and looked towards Azula when the Fire Lady looked to her for an answer.  


“Let’s get Mai dried off, and then perhaps we could relax for tea," the Fire Lady smiled.  


Lian agreed and offered Mai a hand as Azula teased her. Ty Lee looked very torn and said absolutely nothing.  


Lian had been invited to see the Agni Kai by Azula, and no matter who the offended general was, even if it was her father, she was rooting for Zuko.  


When she watched the Firelord walk out, her heart sank, and when she closed her eyes tight, she still felt nauseous at Zuko’s scream.  
She could still hear it, even as she sat beneath a tree near the pond. Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were all goofing around, and Zuko was locked in his room until his ship was ready to depart. Banishment. The Firelord, cruel and horrible as his daughter, had burned and banished his own son for speaking out of turn. The General Iroh, the true heir to the throne, banished with him as a “loyal pair of eyes”.  


Suddenly, pain ticked Lian’s ear. Her eyes shot open and she reached up to find one of Mai’s knives had clipped it.  


“What the heck?”  


“Quit being boring and come play. We’re celebrating.”  


“Celebrating what?”  


“With Zuko gone, I’m an only child!” Azula beamed.  


Lian went from confused to enraged very quickly. All her life she had been taught that aside from the nation, family was the most important thing. That no matter what happened, you honored, served, and loved your family. She didn’t know what she was doing until it was too late.  


Her hand was around Azula’s neck, squeezing, and when the Firelord himself walked into the garden, it was decided that Lian would accompany his son on a lesson in respect.  


What kind of royal family did her nation idolize?  
The kind filled with hatred and abuse apparently.


	2. A Traitor Isn't a Traitor (As Long as They're Loyalties Haven't Swayed)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lian is cold. The ship has been roaming the world for eight years, and for some reason Zuko keeps coming back to the frozen South Pole. If he does find the avatar, she might just help the old man as punishment to Zuko for the ice on the tips of her boots.

“Remember Zuko, the power in firebending comes from the breath.” 

Iroh’s daily lesson to Zuko was exhausting. Even after eight years of endlessly wandering the world, he was still reiterating the basics. 

Lian shivered and pulled her cloak tighter to her shoulders. The further south the ship went, the less she liked it. They’d been around the south pole almost 4 times now in the search for the Avatar. He was probably never going to be found. 

“Lian, come spar with Zuko, it will help to have an opponent.” She let out a deep sigh before unsheathing her sword and standing opposite the prince. “She’s not even a firebender, Uncle.” “Few of your opponents will be.” 

Zuko huffed but assumed a ready position and took a deep breath. Lian did the same, adjusting her grip ever so slightly before letting Zuko take the first step forward. 

Unlike Zuko, Lian had memorized the basics and committed to them on day one. Dodging fire was easy enough. Attacking was easy enough. Dealing with a sore-loser prince was the hard part. 

The sparring ended with Lian’s sword at Zuko’s throat. It wasn’t until Iroh waved her off that Lian moved. “Again,” Zuko demanded. “First, we will work on the parts you must address,” Iroh insisted. 

Lian took the opportunity to leave her sword in her quarters and take a book to the engine room. There, the air was warmed by burning coal and the red glow of the firebox was bright enough to read by. She spent most of her time reading. Mostly history, she picked up books in every port and had taken to collecting smuggled books written by members of the earth kingdom and water tribes. 

The hunches she’d had about the fire nation after being banished has been proven true by this illegal library. The trouble was finding enough places to hide them. Eventually, Lian had taken to writing a journal. A secret history of the world based on foreign texts so that she could cycle the forbidden literature back into the black market. Often times, Iroh would plead that they stop long enough to rest, and on those days, Lian wouldn’t even have to get the book onto the ship. 

“You know kid, there are better places to read.” Gou shoveled another pile of coal into the firebox. “It’s freezing in the south pole. Here I can be warm. Unlike the rest of you, I don’t have any bending to keep myself content.” 

It was the same conversation every day. Luckily, he never asked any questions, and certainly didn’t care to ask what she wrote about. In the crew’s eyes, this was a punishment. Each of them was still an honored member of the fire navy. Once in a while, they would receive a new crew member so that someone could go home, but Gou had stayed constant on the ship. Lian was kind enough not to ask him about it. 

The next morning, she awoke to surprising orders. “Prepare for Battle.” Unlike the others, Lian didn’t follow Navy dress code, and she dressed in the warmest layers she could without inhibiting her movement. Sword at her hip, dagger at her waist, and bow in hand she joined the others on deck, but there was no other ship. 

“Did you see the way the sky lit up last night?” The inventory man leaned towards Lian, “it might actually be the Avatar this time.” 

Lian rolled her eyes, but when they landed in a little Southern Water Tribe village, she was part of the group to follow Zuko off the ship. 

“Where are you hiding him?” Zuko’s voice was loud as ever, but unlike Lian, the villagers were all very frightened. Suddenly, Zuko reached out and grabbed an old woman, Lian huffed and reached for an arrow. “He’d be about this age? Master of all elements?” 

The entire village was silent, and Zuko shoved the old woman back into the crowd. Lian swallowed when the old woman’s gaze met hers and she mouthed a small apology. “I know you’re hiding him.” 

Lian watched as a water tribe boy crept up behind Zuko and attacked. Unfortunately for the kid, sneak attacks don’t work if you’re screaming. With the kid thrown off he started to firebend in retaliation, but the kid was slick and threw a boomerang. 

A little boy threw this kid a spear and Lian tucked her arrow back into the quiver. If someone could give Zuko a bit of a fight for real, she wasn’t going to stop him. The kid was on the ground, but the boomerang came in and slammed Zuko in the back of the helmet. Lian had to stifle her laughter, but barely managed to turn it into a cough behind her hand. 

There was a sudden rush of wind that chilled her to the bone. As Lian blinked snow off her lashes, a kid no older than her youngest brother stood before them. On his forehead and hands were arrow shaped tattoos, the kind she’d read about in a forbidden novel about the long dead Air Nomads. 

“Looking for me?” The kid demanded. 

Zuko’s brow wrinkled in a dumbfounded look, “you’re the airbender? You’re the Avatar? I’ve spent years preparing for this encounter. Training. Meditating. You’re just a child!” “Uh, you’re barely an adult.” 

Zuko growled and began to attack, but Lian didn’t move. She didn’t sign up to fight a child. She didn’t sign up for this garbage at all. “If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone here alone?” Zuko nodded and waved at Lian to cuff the kid. Lian grimaced, but did so, then took his staff and offered him an apologetic pat on the shoulder before guiding him up the ramp. 

“Head a course to the Fire Nation Capital Port, I’m going home.” 

On the ship, Lian handed Zuko the staff and held the kid’s shoulder gently. 

“This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn’t know of fathers, being raised by monks. Take the Avatar to the prison hold and take this to my quarters.” Zuko handed the staff to Iroh, and Lian nodded to two soldiers who led the way to the hold. 

Half way there, Lian matched step with the boy and held a finger to her lips before slamming her hands into the guard’s necks. Both men fell to the group with a thud and she opened a store room, tossing them in. 

“Come with me,” Lian unchained his wrists and led him to her chambers where she grabbed a pack and a second quiver. “What are you doing?” “I’m helping you escape. Zuko’s chambers are this way, we can grab your staff and get out of here.” 

In Zuko’s room, the kid grabbed his staff, but as Lian went to follow him in, the door slammed shut and Zuko’s voice sounded inside. Lian cursed, and moved to open the door, but it suddenly burst open and Aang grabbed Lian’s hand and dragged her behind him to the bridge. Zuko was hot on their trail. “Lian? What are you doing?” “Saving the world from your jerk dad.” 

Lian drew her sword and motioning for Aang to figure out a way off the bridge. Lian ducked beneath a fire blast before charging forward and stabbing her sword at Zuko. He ducked, sending yet another blast towards her, but Lian jumped and slashed at the prince, slicing clean through his leather armor like soft butter. Suddenly, there was a deafening roar and Aang reached out and grabbed Lian’s hand. 

“What are you… no no no no no!” Wind whistled past her ears as she was hurled to the deck below. She braced for impact, but a strong gust of wind pushed her sideways and she rolled safely to a stop near the bow. 

When she looked back up, the Avatar was trying to shake off Zuko as the two dangled from his glider, but Zuko didn’t relent. When Aang finally kicked him off, he helicoptered towards the deck, but instead of sticking the landing, another solider sent a blast of fire his way and knocked him overboard. 

Lian cursed and dropped her sword as she ran to the edge, “no!” “Aang!” Above her, a large creature hovered in mid air with the water tribe boy on his back and a water tribe girl at the reigns. 

After a terrifying moment, the Avatar suddenly surfaced in a whirlpool of water. Nearly frozen droplets stung Lian’s cheeks, and before she knew it, everyone on deck except for her and the Avatar had been thrown overboard. 

“Whoa,” Lian couldn’t help but be a bit terrified of the kid after seeing that, but when the beast landed and the two water tribe kids jumped down, she held up her hands and tried to smile, “I’m a friend, I promise.” 

“Yeah, right, you’re fire nation.” “She’s a friend, Sokka,” the kid called out, “thanks for coming.” “Aang, are you okay?” The girl held him up and started eyeing him for injuries. “I dropped my staff.” 

Sokka ran to grab it and Lian glanced back at the door before shooing the girl and Aang up onto the bison. As Sokka knocked Zuko off the side of the ship and into the water, more guards came out, but the bison took off and Lian reached down to grab the Sokka plucking him off the deck with a grin. She didn’t miss Zuko’s order to “shoot them down!” 

As she was about to brace for impact, Aang suddenly jumped over all three of his passengers and used his staff like a bat to throw the fireball sideways. In one swift move, Zuko’s ship was buried in ice and the beast she was on carried Lian and her new allies high into the air. 

Higher up was even colder, and Lian pulled her cloak from her bag before relaxing against the side of the saddle. 

“So, who are you?” The girl asked. “My name is Lian Fang. I uh… never really liked Zuko all that much, and when he made me chain up a kid, I decided it was high time to make a getaway.” “So, not all fire nation people are assholes, cool.” “Oh, I’m an asshole,” Lian laughed as Sokka leaned back next to her, “just not a murdering horrible war crazy lunatic.” “Thank you, by the way,” the kid smiled, “my name is Aang.” 

So Aang, how did you do that, with the water? It was amazing!” “I don’t know. I just sort of… did it,” Aang didn’t look all to happy about not having an answer for the girl. “Why didn’t you tell us you were the Avatar?” she was quieter this time, and a tense silence carried for a moment. “Because I never wanted to be,” Aang turned back to face the sky, his shoulders hung forward. 

“Aang,” Lian hesitated a moment before continuing, “the world has been waiting for the Avatar to put an end to this war.” “How am I going to do that?” he turned back to her, eyes dark and sad. “According to the legend,” the girl chimed, “you need to first master water, then earth, then fire, right?” “That’s what the monks told me,” Aang shrugged. “Well, if we go to the North Pole you can master waterbending.” Aang beamed, “we can learn it together!” “Uh, that’s on the other side of the world,” Sokka cut in. “You’ll probably get to knock some crazy firebender heads on the way,” Lian shrugged. “Oh, I’d like that,” he mused. “Then we’re in this together,” the girl smiled. Lian nodded, “I don’t have anywhere better to go.” 

Aang pulled a map from his gear that looked like it was in very good shape for spending a hundred years in ice. "Before we go there though, we’ve got to check these places out!” 

As Aang showed the others his favorite places on the map, Lian gazed back towards the glacier where they’d left Zuko. Somewhere in the back of her head, her father’s voice nagged her for betraying the last people of their nation who valued her presence, but everything else about the situation felt right, and for the first time in years, she relaxed as the cold wind whipped through her hair.


End file.
